Roman Polanski

35 films directed 16 Awards 7 Nominations

Biography

Roman Polański (born 18 August 1933) is a Polish-French film director, producer, writer and actor. Born in Paris to Polish parents, Polański relocated with his family to Poland in 1937. After surviving the Holocaust, he continued his education in Poland and became a critically acclaimed director of both art house and commercial films. Polański's first feature-length film, Knife in the Water (1962), made in Poland, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He has since received five more Oscar nominations, and in 2002 received the Academy Award for Best Director for his film, The Pianist. He has also been the recipient of two Baftas, four Césars, a Golden Globe and the Palme d'Or. He left Poland in 1961 to live in France for several years, then moved to the United Kingdom where he collaborated with Gérard Brach on three films, beginning with Repulsion (1965). In 1968 he moved to the United States, immediately cementing his burgeoning directing status with the 1968 groundbreaking Academy Award winning horror film Rosemary's Baby.

In 1969, Polański's pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered while staying at the Polańskis' Benedict Canyon home above Los Angeles by members of the Manson Family. Following Tate's death, Polański returned to Europe and spent much of his time in Paris and Gstaad, but did not make another film until he filmed Macbeth (1971) in England. The following year he went to Italy to make What? (1973) and subsequently spent the next five years living near Rome. However, he traveled to Hollywood to direct Chinatown (1974) for Paramount Pictures, with Robert Evans serving as producer. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, and was a critical and box-office success; the script by Robert Towne won for Best Original Screenplay. Polański's next film, The Tenant (1976), was shot in France, and completed the "Apartment Trilogy", following Repulsion and Rosemary's Baby.

In 1977, after a photo shoot in Los Angeles, Polański was arrested for the sexual abuse of a 13 year old girl. He was charged with rape but pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor. To avoid sentencing, Polański fled to his home in London, and then moved on to France the following day. He has had a U.S. arrest warrant outstanding since then, and an international arrest warrant since 2005.

Most directed genres

Recurring actors

Awards and nominations

2020 César Award for Best Adaptation
2019 European Film Award for Best Director Nominated
2019 European Film Award for Best Screenwriter Nominated
2011 Honorary Lumière Award
2011 César Award for Best Director
2010 Silver Bear for Best Director
2010 European Film Award for Best Film
2010 European Film Award for Best Director
2010 European Film Award for Best Screenwriter
2010 European Film Award – People's Choice Award for Best European Film Nominated
2010 European Film Award for Best Film Nominated
2006 European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award
2003 Academy Award for Best Director
2003 BAFTA Award for Best Direction
2003 Academy Award for Best Picture Nominated
2000 honorary citizen of Łódź
1999 European Film Academy Achievement in World Cinema Award
1981 Academy Award for Best Director Nominated
1969 Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay Nominated
— Medal for Merit to Culture
— National Board of Review Award for Best Film
— Commander of the Legion of Honour
— Golden Medal for Merit to Culture

The career in numbers

US$ 351 mi Total budget from 19 film(s) with data
US$ 454 mi Total box office from 18 film(s) with data
US$ 18 mi Average budget from 19 film(s) with data
US$ 25 mi Average box office from 18 film(s) with data
6.9 Average rating from 25 film(s) with data
1.3× Return on investment from 16 film(s) with data

Budget and box office do not exist for every film in our records. Averages are computed over the films that carry the figure, and the count beside each one says how many.

Films directed

Film	Year	Budget	Box office	Rating
The Palace	2023	US$ 19 mi	US$ 420,350	5.4
An Officer and a Spy	2019	US$ 25 mi	US$ 19 mi	7.1
Based on a True Story	2017	US$ 11 mi	—	5.7
Henri Langlois vu par...	2014	—	—	5.0
Venus in Fur	2013	—	US$ 342,183	7.2
Carnage	2011	US$ 25 mi	US$ 31 mi	7.2
The Ghost Writer	2010	US$ 45 mi	US$ 60 mi	6.8
To Each His Own Cinema	2007	—	—	6.4
Oliver Twist	2005	US$ 50 mi	US$ 43 mi	6.8
The Pianist	2002	US$ 35 mi	US$ 120 mi	8.4
The Ninth Gate	1999	US$ 38 mi	US$ 58 mi	6.5
Death and the Maiden	1994	US$ 12 mi	US$ 8 mi	7.1
Bitter Moon	1992	US$ 5 mi	US$ 2 mi	7.1
The King of Ads	1991	—	—	4.3
Frantic	1988	US$ 20 mi	US$ 18 mi	6.7
Pirates	1986	US$ 40 mi	US$ 2 mi	6.3
Tess	1979	US$ 12 mi	US$ 20 mi	7.1
The Tenant	1976	—	US$ 5 mi	7.6
Chinatown	1974	US$ 6 mi	US$ 30 mi	7.9
What?	1972	—	—	5.3
Macbeth	1971	US$ 2 mi	US$ 1 mi	7.1
Rosemary's Baby	1968	US$ 3 mi	US$ 33 mi	7.8
The Fearless Vampire Killers	1967	US$ 2 mi	—	6.9
Cul-de-sac	1966	US$ 135,000	—	6.7
Repulsion	1965	US$ 300,000	US$ 3 mi	7.4
The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers	1964	—	—	5.4
Knife in the Water	1962	—	—	7.3
Mammals	1962	—	—	5.2
The Fat and the Lean	1961	—	—	6.1
The Lamp	1959	—	—	6.0
When Angels Fall	1959	—	—	6.6
Two Men and a Wardrobe	1958	—	—	6.3
A Toothful Smile	1957	—	—	5.2
Murder	1957	—	—	5.2
Break Up the Dance	1957	—	—	5.4

Directors